Poll: President Obama can't heal us

In a sharp reversal from four years ago, nearly two-thirds of Americans think President Barack Obama will not be able to heal the nation’s political divisions, according to a poll released Thursday.

Only 33 percent of Americans believe Obama can reduce the nation’s partisan rancor over the next four years, down from 54 percent who thought he could in his first term. The Gallup poll also found 63 percent of Americans doubt Obama’s ability to control illegal immigration, while 58 percent are skeptical of his efforts to substantially reduce the federal budget deficit.

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Majorities of Americans trust Obama to create a strong economic recovery (54 percent) and reduce unemployment (56 percent). There is even stronger faith in his national security abilities: 65 percent think he will keep the United States safe from terrorism, and 72 percent believe he can bring troops home from Afghanistan in a way that protects American interests. Citizens also have high expectations for protecting the environment, improving the lives of the poor and improving education.

But even in many of these areas, hopes are tempered compared to 2008. Only 57 percent expect him to protect the environment, down from 70 percent four years ago. Two-thirds of Americans thought he would reduce unemployment in 2008, and 64 percent expected a strong economic recovery. Only on safely withdrawing from Afghanistan do Americans have substantially more faith then they did in 2008. Fifty-eight percent trusted Obama to do so then.

The poll of 1,009 adults was conducted from November 9 to November 12. It has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.

Readers' Comments (47)

It'll be a long time before I trust any poll conducted by Gallup. Of major polls, they were near the bottom in accuracy this election cycle (even Rasmussen was better, and Rasmussen was terrible). It's one thing to be off by one or two percentage points. Gallup was consistently an outlier in Romney's favor. What makes their preference polling on issues any better?

Yes, don't believe Gallup. Obama can heal us. He just needs to punish the uppity rich white guys first. Then destroy the racist rednecks second. After that he'll be able to heal the nation as the only group holding us back from true bliss is angry white men.

How could anybody expect Obama to heal the partisian divide when he is 99% of the problem. His speeches are always filled with hate - always for republicans but for the 1%, the bankers, the doctors, the insurance companies - always something.

He's what we need, to break the terrible cycle with the rich. We were going back to JP Morgan days. Long time ago with the anti trust thing. They didn't want unions either. It's all about the almighty dollar. The nation needs to watch and learn with MSNBC. I'm serious. The Ed Show is my favorite. He reminds me of my late Dad. He's all about the people. So, is Obama. The rich are getting so rich now, that it's immoral. They are very materialistic, and Obama is not at all. When his wife gave her speech at the convention, she told us about when he picked her up in his car for their first date. The car was so old that she could see the road. It had a hole in it. He became a politician to help the poor, and give them a better life. Yes, he's out of touch with the rich big time. That's a good thing. Every night he reads several letters from people that are suffering. It drives him to do the right thing. Yeah, Sandy was from God. God voted.

"Only 33 percent of Americans believe Obama can reduce the nation’s partisan rancor over the next four years, down from 54 percent who thought he could in his first term. The Gallup poll also found 63 percent of Americans doubt Obama’s ability to control illegal immigration, while 58 percent are skeptical of his efforts to substantially reduce the federal budget deficit"

True blooded Americans have fallen victim to our own laws, programs and the unlimited entitlements Barry distributes for his own political gain.

Barry Obama is proof positive that ANYONE can be President regardless of their inexperience and lack of accomplishments. Barry was elected President by 51% of the Voters who, unfortunately, are illiterate and have no understanding of Economics, Foreign Policy, who never held a job, and those who entered our Country Illegally.

It is sadly hysterical that the majority of those who elected Barry haven't a clue just how badly they are being used by the Community Ghetto Builder for his own personal gain. Barry knows exactly what he is doing, and Barry is Crystal Clear about the facts that the majority of his voters are perfectly content with an endless supply of Food Stamps, 40 Ouncers & Kools.

I think the American people will see that the GOP will deal. Obama just met with business leaders, and they want to support him. They gave him valuable information. So, we'll see. I have confidence that they will meet a deal. Obama wants them to give the middle Class and the lower income people a safety net. The Senate already has a bill ready to go, that gives just the people under $200,000 an extension of the Bush tax cuts. They should sign for it now. The House was not elected by the people in 2012, they were elected by their redistricting. The people want them to compromise. The want the rich to give a little more. Nowadays though, "rich" means something different to people. It depends who you talk to.

Another thing, is the business leaders can get in on the deal making with Obama. I'm writing the President. I think that could give him a lot of leverage. He just might compromise a higher number in the salary being taxed. We'll see. I'm confident that a deal will be reached. The American people won't vote GOP if they don't deal, and they know it. Obama said "No fiscal cliff". I believe him. There are some people that want to, but it won't happen. Obama is too much in touch with the people. He is very compassionate.

Yes, don't believe Gallup. Obama can heal us. He just needs to punish the uppity rich white guys first. Then destroy the racist rednecks second. After that he'll be able to heal the nation as the only group holding us back from true bliss is angry white men.

Classy...

Who is going to generate the wealth the "Takers" need to pay for their handouts?

The White Man & the Wealthy are the bread winners in America. Without them the Human Social Parasites would be broke, starving and out of 40 ouncers & Kools dummy.

Go to Chicago's South Side and see Barry Obama's results in the Ghetto he built there. It is Rahm's headache now since it has the highest murder rate in Chicago at present. When 51% of the Voters are illiterate scuzzy minorities who are only concerned about 40 ouncers and Kools and Food Stamps, even a Community Organizer with zero experience lke Barry can be President.

Congratulations to the Democrats and Young People! You now own it. •The next terrorist attack? You own it.

•Can't get a job after graduation, you own it. •Sky rocketing energy prices due to Obama's EPA shutting down the energy producing states, you own it. •A nuclear Iran, you own it. •Bowing to the Soviet Union, you own it. •Another severe recession, you own it. •A volatile border with Mexico, you own it.

. Trouble getting good health care, you own it.

•Higher health insurance costs and health care costs, you own it. •No budget, you own it. •Our allies’ mistrust, you own it. •Another $6 trillion of debt, you own it. •More Benghazi situations, you own it. •No one willing to join the military, you own it. •Trouble getting a loan to buy a home, you own it. •More dependency on food stamps, you own it. •Trouble finding good employment, you own it. •Several part time jobs instead of a good job, you own it. •A World Government, you own it. •The UN governing the United States instead of ourselves, you own it. •Senate that will not bring any legislation to the table; rather it is "Dead on Arrival", you own it. •China controlling our world trade, trampling all over us, you own it. •Loss of our freedom as we have known it in the past, you own it. •A dictatorship ignoring the Constitution instead of a democracy that follows the Constitution, you own it.

•Less take home pay and higher living costs, you own it. •Driving a car that looks like a toy, you own it. Fewer consumer choices, you own it.

•More government corruption and lies, you own it. •More toleration of extreme and fanatical Islamists, you own it. •Terrorist attacks called work place incidents, you own it. •More revenge instead of love of country, you own it. •Lying leaders who obfuscate the truth, you own it.

President George Bush is out of it now, and there is not another good man for you to vilify and lie about.

Has there ever BEEN a person who sowed more division and jealousy and resentment among Americans than Barack Hussein Obama ? And you are asking THAT question ? My oh My.Divide and Conquer...and that he did .Time to start reaping now, oh ye that put this disaster for America back in Power.

"Yes, don't believe Gallup. Obama can heal us. He just needs to punish the uppity rich white guys first. Then destroy the racist rednecks second. After that he'll be able to heal the nation as the only group holding us back from true bliss is angry white men. "

What does Gallup's accuracy in this election cycle have to do with your racial insecurities? Gallup was a consistent outlier, and fueled the GOP base's hopes (and crazily out of kilter expectations). Take a few deep breaths, leave the concrete bunker, and go for a walk. It'll do you a world of good.

The negative tone in our political discourse is so bad nothing will get done. It's time for Newt Gingrich to be a man and stand up and admit he was the person who started this negative era by spewing garbage during his Special Orders in the House when he was a back bencher in the 1980s and 1990s. He needs to go on tv, issue his mea culpa, and tell the barbarians to knock it off.

Even an illiterate can easily access a computer these days, but a computer will not teach an illiterate to read or think. Happy48, you have illiteracy & "Bag Lady" written in capital letters between the lines you choose to comment with.

Not enough votes to pass Obamacare? Bribe senators. Don’t like the Defense of Marriage law? Refuse to defend it in court. Congress won’t pass the “Dream Act” granting amnesty to a million illegals? Do it yourself by executive fiat. Don’t want to defend America’s borders? Sue states that do. Don’t like congressional inquiries? Ignore their subpoenas. Denied support of Americans in Benghazi who were screaming for their lives for 7 hours? No problem, send Susan Rice to the talk shows with a lie to tell.

Anyone that voted for Obama You will reap what you sow. The people that get hit the hardest will be the ones depending upon government. Yes we will go off the cliff because of the division that the democrats have created the last four years. And the only way for Obama to fix it is to give in on the republican tax reforms. And we all know he wont.

The earnings this quarter did not meet expectations. Consumer spending is down. There are more negative then positive this quarter then last or the one before that. And both of those showed we were regressing. .

This recession will be a lot worst then the last one and last longer because of the division The democrats will not give on what creates jobs. The private sector. . And Obama and the democrats will own every bit of it.

We need to stop expecting someone to 'save' us, and start doing what we need to save ourselves.

If you look at the growth of the American economy and the growth of productivity of the American workforce, from 1945 until the mid-1970s, the productivity roughly doubled and middle-class Americans shared in those gains. Their average pay rose just about the same as productivity.

But if you look at the period from 1973 until now, productivity's gone up 80 percent, but the average pay of typical Americans has gone up only 10 percent. This is the new economics, the people at the top are gaining enormously and the people in the middle are basically flat for about three decades. The hourly compensation of a typical median male worker in 2011 was the same as in 1978. At the same time the incomes of the people at the top one percent rose sixfold.

In politics you see opinion poll after opinion poll, in which the public says lobbyists have too much power, taxes should be raised on the rich, there should be more control of corporations, the tax system should be fixed. But Congress doesn't enact what the public is saying in those opinion polls. And there are a number of academic studies that show that members of Congress listen more to wealthy and affluent contributors than constituents.

We're told in America that companies cannot raise middle-class wages because they couldn't compete globally. But since 1985, major German corporations have raised wages of their middle-class workers five times faster than in America. And they're competing better in the global marketplace than we are.

Why haven't Americans reacted?

There are a lot of people that don't know the score. I don't think the media have done a very good job of informing them. And people on both sides politically, but one side in particular, have been deliberately trying to confuse them.

Is there a way to reverse this trend?

The main thing to do is correct the power shift and the only way to do that is for middle-class Americans to get involved in politics between elections. Americans today don't believe they can influence Washington. They could if they organized.